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Topic: Hypothetical Airplane Question (Read 5468 times)

I was recently traveling by air when I imagined a hypothetical situation in which I think I know how I would react but would like to know the opinions of E-Hellions.

Please note that because this is a completely hypothetical question, parameters may be added in later comments. I will try to remember to add them in the original post if they are made.

Hypothetical Question:You are on an airplane, an hour into a 2-4 hour flight, when you decide to order an alcoholic beverage from the steward. The steward replies that another steward will return shortly with the credit card machine and the drink then moves onto the next row. The person sitting next to you objects to your order and requests that you do not consume the alcohol.

You are of age, you are not presently intoxicated, this is your first drink order, and you enjoy alcohol. The request is not snotty, condescending, or abrupt.

If this person is a stranger, I politely refuse to cancel my order. (Unless they tell me that the smell makes them sick, about to throw up sick, in which case I decline to drink or have my seat changed.)

I think I would be kind stunned! I may respond with, "I beg your pardon?" to make sure I heard them correctly.

If the person gave a reasonable response for why I should not consume an alcoholic beverage, I would probably comply. Reasonable responses include "the scent of alcohol makes me feel ill" or "I'm a recovering alcoholic". Those, to me, would be reasonable requests that I not consume the alcohol.

If they gave an unreasonable response, such as, I don't know, "You look too young; that must be a fake ID" or some such nonsense, I would ignore and consume the beverage as planned.

I don't respond to orders unless the person giving them actually has the authority to tell me what to do. I'd be hard pressed to come up with a polite response. I'm pretty sure I'd eventually manage a "why not?" but more out of curiosity than a desire to make them happy.

A question, very sincerely meant: Why would "I'm a recovering alcoholic" be a reasonable response? Recovering alcoholics know they're likely going to have to be around alcohol at some point, and asking a stranger who just happens to be near you to not have a perfectly legal drink seems ... I don't know, very SS ... to me.

I would probably ask why, but I can't imagine a response that would make me change my mind. (Except "the smell of alcohol makes me vomit," which would in part be self-preservation. )

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“She was already learning that if you ignore the rules people will, half the time, quietly rewrite them so that they don't apply to you.” ― Terry Pratchett, Equal Rites

A question, very sincerely meant: Why would "I'm a recovering alcoholic" be a reasonable response? Recovering alcoholics know they're likely going to have to be around alcohol at some point, and asking a stranger who just happens to be near you to not have a perfectly legal drink seems ... I don't know, very SS ... to me.

I would probably ask why, but I can't imagine a response that would make me change my mind. (Except "the smell of alcohol makes me vomit," which would in part be self-preservation. )

This makes perfect sense and I don't like indulging Speshul Snowflakes but if someone (a stranger) was to confide their struggle and make this request nicely and w/o a scene, I can see myself trying to be accommodating.

I don't respond to orders unless the person giving them actually has the authority to tell me what to do. I'd be hard pressed to come up with a polite response. I'm pretty sure I'd eventually manage a "why not?" but more out of curiosity than a desire to make them happy.

FWIW, I believe the OP said the other passanger requested, not ordered.

I think that I probably would refrain from having the drink. My intention would originally would be to enjoy a drink and if the person next to me had a valid reason for making the request I'd want to do what I could. If their reason wasn't valid I would be so irritated that I would no longer be in the frame of mind to truly enjoy my drink and so I'd wait until i could get away and out of that place and situation.

I don't think that a recovering alcoholic has the absolute right to an alcohol free plane, but if someone asked me nicely and gave that reason, I would probably comply if they were really nice about it and had a tone in their voice that they know I don't have to say yes and that it was a request for a favor. That's a favor I'm happy to grant. However if I was told "don't order that drink" with no explanation, I don't have a lot of respect for that and that would start the request off on the wrong foot for me.

I don't respond to orders unless the person giving them actually has the authority to tell me what to do. I'd be hard pressed to come up with a polite response. I'm pretty sure I'd eventually manage a "why not?" but more out of curiosity than a desire to make them happy.

FWIW, I believe the OP said the other passanger requested, not ordered.

You are right, the OP did use the word request. My apologies. It still reads like an order to me if no reason is given, since a stranger has no standing to request that I not drink.

I'd probably just shrug and carry on. I wouldn't really care. Although if they said the smell of alcohol makes them vomit, there would be a tiny bit of self preservation, but then again, I'd expect them to not vomit on me either way, but rather in a bag which they then disposed of, so even then really I wouldn't care too much and would go about my life with my drink.

I was recently traveling by air when I imagined a hypothetical situation in which I think I know how I would react but would like to know the opinions of E-Hellions.

Please note that because this is a completely hypothetical question, parameters may be added in later comments. I will try to remember to add them in the original post if they are made.

Hypothetical Question:You are on an airplane, an hour into a 2-4 hour flight, when you decide to order an alcoholic beverage from the steward. The steward replies that another steward will return shortly with the credit card machine and the drink then moves onto the next row. The person sitting next to you objects to your order and requests that you do not consume the alcohol.

You are of age, you are not presently intoxicated, this is your first drink order, and you enjoy alcohol. The request is not snotty, condescending, or abrupt.

How do you politely respond?

I am a nervous flyer, and a glass of wine or vodka tonic is one of the only things that makes it bearable (and that is including the 6:00am NYC to LA flight where it helps me to go to sleep)

I am sorry of my seatmate has issues with booze, but unless they want to compensate me with Xanex, they are going to have to get over it!